A number of significant planning decisions were made by Peterborough City Council in February.
Controversial proposals to expand a gambling centre in the city were approved despite objections from the local MP.
The demolition of a former homeless centre was also approved to make way for eight new homes within the Peterborough Cathedral grounds.
Plans for new pickleball and padel courts in Stanground were refused.
See below for five of the most notable planning decisions made in February:
Gambling centre expansion
Plans to expand New Horizon Amusements, an adult gaming centre in Bridge Street, Peterborough, were approved despite objections from the city’s MP and civic society.
Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes voiced concern about the extension of the store being in such close proximity to facilities such as the war memorial, job centre and other city facilities.
He said: “We need a much stronger local plan to set out limits on betting and gambling shops and to address the cumulative impact of these on the city centre.”
Ticketgrange, which owns the shop, argued that expanding into the vacant unit next door would enable it to be ‘brought back to life’.
Peterborough City Council approved the plans on February 11.
Demolition of homeless centre
Plans were approved to demolish a former homeless centre and build eight new homes within the Peterborough Cathedral grounds.
The Garden House, a 1930s building located in Minster Precincts, was formerly occupied by cathedral choristers and most recently by the Light Project Peterborough, a registered charity set up to provide support to homeless people.
Applicant Lioncross Peterborough plans to demolish the Garden House building, described as being in “poor condition”, and build eight new homes in two terraces of four units.
The proposed homes are to be three-storey, four-bedroom dwellings, apart from those on the western and eastern ends which will be two storeys with three bedrooms.
Council planners approved the application on Friday, February 7.
City centre hotel extension
Plans to extend a city centre hotel in order to create more bedrooms were approved by Peterborough City Council.
In October 2023, Gujjar Investments Limited saw its plans approved to build a 34-room hotel above the Westgate Galleria at 35 Westgate.
The latest application, approved on February 13 this year, proposes the addition of a further extension at fifth floor level and a further two floors above the previously permitted two-storey roof extension to the rear of the building.
This will add nine bedrooms to the hotel, bringing the total number of rooms to 43.
Former offices to become apartments
A former office building in Peterborough will be converted into a large apartment block.
Think Property Group Limited applied to Peterborough City Council for prior approval of 73 apartments at Rightwell House in Bretton, which was granted on February 18.
A previous application for a two-storey extension to create 50 additional apartments has already been granted, bringing the total number of apartments to 123.
The development includes 155 car parking spaces and 123 covered and secure cycle parking spaces.
Padel and pickleball courts
Alan Jordan, who runs Padel Peterborough, applied to the city council for a Lawful Development Certificate to convert the four unused tennis courts at Powerleague next to Stanground Academy into five new padel courts and three smaller pickleball courts.
These plans were refused by the council on February 6, with the authority stating that the development would “exceed the relevant limitations” set out in the Town and Country Planning Order 2015.
The council also claimed that the development did not harbour permitted development rights for the laying of hard surfacing and required planning permission.
Mr Jordan has since applied for full planning permission and a decision will be made at a later date.
Other notable planning applications and decisions
Plans refused for 95 homes to be built on the southern edge of Glinton
Plans refused for up to 55 homes to be built on land to the east of St Martins Road in Newborough
Planning application submitted to carry out repair works on historic Pizza Express building in Cathedral Square
